


His Pain

by Lucifer_Jadezexus373



Series: Martin and Maureen's journey [1]
Category: Lethal Weapon (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-23
Updated: 2016-11-23
Packaged: 2018-09-01 14:44:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8628448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucifer_Jadezexus373/pseuds/Lucifer_Jadezexus373
Summary: When a detective working with Martin is killed in an explosionMartin gets into a fight with her partner. Maureen has to stay professional even though she's worried about Martin.





	

Martin stands up angrily, "What did you say."  
Detective McKiven turns around, "I said you're careless. And you think because your wife died you can do whatever you want. Running around and trying to get yourself killed is one thing, but you're killing people now! I have to live with that loss and it's your fault," he says, almost yelling now.  
"You have no idea what happened to me," Martin growls. A few people have stopped to watch, and the room is eerily silent as Alex struggles to come up with a response.  
Alex McKiven shakes his head, trying to hold back the tears, "You're right, I don't know what happened to you. But my partner is dead and it's your fault! You deserve what you got, Martin, and you don't have the right to hurt other people."  
Martin slams a fist on the desk, "It's not my fault! It's her fault."  
Alex closes his eyes tightly, "You dragged her into a situation that you knew was dangerous and she's dead because of it. You set off that explosion, Riggs."  
Martin pauses, "I never meant for that to happen."  
Alex nods sarcastically, "That doesn't fix anything. Did you say that about your wife? Did you kill her too, Martin?"  
Martin flinches, shocked that he would even say that. Hands already curled into fists, Martin springs towards Alex McKiven, hitting him in the jaw and then in the stomach. Alex reacts immediately and is quick to take out his anger and pain on Martin. It wouldn't have been close, the only thing that made it remotely fair was the amount of alcohol Martin had in his system.  
***  
Maureen is sitting at her desk, reading up on a case that Martin and Roger are working on. She isn't sure quite how she feels about Martin yet. She likes him, in a platonic way of course, and she is definitely worried about him. Most of all though, Maureen is curious. Even though he's shared so much with her, he's still a mystery. There is so much pain inside of him, but so much goodness.  
Maureen looks up from her computer, only to see Martin standing in front of detective Alex McKiven. They're obviously arguing, and not in the friendly way Martin argues with Roger. They both look like they actually want to kill each other, a look Maureen is a little too familiar with. She stands up nervously. Maureen knows Martin better than probably anyone, and she knows by the look on his face that it's only a matter of time before the fight becomes physical. No one else looks like they're going to do anything useful.  
Maureen isn't surprised when Martin throws the first punch, disappointed maybe, but not surprised. If Roger was there maybe he would have stopped Martin, but Roger already went home.  
Maureen is somehow faster than all of the other detectives in the room, and rather than trying to hold Martin back, she stands directly in front of him. She knows Alex wouldn't dare hit her, and she needs to focus on Martin. She stands inches away from him, almost touching. Maureen watches as Martin slowly relaxes. The anger is still there, but she's no longer worried he's going to push her aside and continue the fight. Maureen slowly takes Martin's hands in hers, ignoring the surprise she can feel coming from everyone else in the department.  
Maureen waits a moment before dropping his hands and stepping back. The gentleness is gone when she says, "My office, now."  
Maureen locks eyes with Alex, "You're next."  
She looks across the room of shocked stares and loud whispers, "Back to work!" Maureen yells angrily, making sure everyone can hear her.  
Pushing Martin into her office, Maureen closes the door behind her.  
"Why did you hit him?" she asks calmly, professionally. It's taking all of her self control to keep from yelling at him. She needs to be the psychiatrist right now, she needs to be supportive.  
"He said stuff," Martin says, touching his fingertips to his temple lightly.  
***  
Martin wished he could have gotten some more hits in, but the blood on his knuckles makes it evident that he would have won, easily. Now Maureen is going to be pissed at him, and he doesn't want to deal with her right now.  
"Martin?" He looks up at the sound of his name.  
Martin pushes the hair out of his eyes, "What?"  
"I asked you what he said," Maureen says, sitting across from him.  
"He said things about Miranda. He said I'm reckless and I deserve what happened to me. And that I killed Detective Farrell," Martin puts his head in his hands.  
"Short version, right now, tell me what happened," Maureen says.  
Martin takes a deep breath, "Me and Roger were working a murder case with McKiven and Farrell, but he couldn't come in today because of some thing with his kid. So me and Lindsay were going to this warehouse because our suspect is a weapons dealer who's been operating out of that warehouse. Turns out they had more than just guns. Farrell went out in front of me. I took a shot at a guy, hit a propane tank, the place went boom. There was a whole lot of gunpowder in that warehouse, doc. I'm lucky to be alive."  
"Are you injured?" Maureen asks partially because of her inability to process how horrible that is at the moment. She can't imagine how Martin feels.  
"Busted up a couple of ribs, and a mild concussion," he says dismissively.  
She looks at him, only able to be strong because she can feel his pain and she knows he needs her to be strong, "Martin, it's not your fault."  
He looks her in the eye and smiles sadly, almost amused. He knows it's not true.  
She leans forward then, "Listen to me. This is not your fault."  
He nods, "Yeah," but he doesn't believe her, and he probably never will.  
"What did he say about Miranda?" Maureen asks, knowing that Martin wouldn't hit another detective unless they really insulted him.  
Martin raises his eyebrows, "Huh?"  
"Martin, tell me what he said."  
Martin opens his mouth, only to close it again when no sound comes out.  
Maureen glances at the rest of the department, surprised to see only a couple people, including Alex, left. When she's sure that there's not a precinct full of people to see them, she moves to the couch where he's sitting. Maureen sits down next to him, and takes his hand, "If you really don't want to tell me, it's okay. You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to tell me."  
Maureen's voice is softer now, gentler. And when Martin looks up at her through his tangled curls, his bloodshot eyes holding back tears, Maureen can feel how broken he is.  
"He said it's my fault," Martin grips Maureen's hand tighter, "He said I killed her too."  
Maureen almost goes out there and beats the shit out of Alex herself. How could anyone say something like.  
"Martin you know that's not true. It was an accident. You are a good person. There are people who love you Martin, people who know you are good. And I'm one of those people. Alex is in pain. But that doesn't excuse him saying that to you. I am so sorry that he said that to you," Maureen is struggling to find words. She just knows that Martin needs her to be on his side.  
Martin nods, his voice doesn't really work anymore. All he knows is that he has someone, someone holding his hand and telling him he is okay. And it's not who he wants it to be, but it's enough.  
Maureen hugs him tightly, wishing she could take his pain away.  
"Could you..." Martin takes a deep breath, "Could you give me a second."  
Maureen nods, moving away self concisely "Of course. I'm going to talk to Alex for a minute and then we can talk some more if you want."  
Martin nods, watching Maureen walk out.  
***  
Maureen sits down in a chair across from Alex, "Are you okay?" she asks, gesturing to the bruises on his face.  
"Not really."  
Maureen nods, "What did Martin say to you."  
Alex takes a deep breath, "He said it was Lindsay's fault. He said she got herself killed."  
Maureen raises her eyebrows, disappointed in Martin, "You know that's not true."  
Alex nods, "She's my partner. No one talks like that about my partner."  
"Martin didn't kill her, Alex," Maureen says, Alex raises his eyebrows, "Didn't he though."  
Maureen smiles, holding back the urge to punch him in the face, "Let me tell you about Martin."  
Alex interrupts her, "I know all about Martin."  
It takes ever single bit of self control for Maureen to avoid snapping and yelling at him. But she's a professional, and she's good at keeping her feelings out of things in order to help other people. Because that's her job, and she is very good at her job.  
Maureen just raises her eyebrows, counting on the fact that Alex is more mature than Martin. She doesn't know him very well, but she isn't surprised when he gives in.  
"Tell me about Martin," Alex says.  
Maureen won't say anything that isn't in his file, but she knows it's enough, "Martin was a marine," she sees the surprise in Alex's eyes, "And he had brothers who he would have gladly died for. They all died and he didn't. And people told him it was his fault, and it broke him. There are plenty of people just like him, survivors guilt right?" Alex nods, "I guess."  
"Well Martin was okay because he found Miranda. She saved his life by loving him. She gave him a reason to live. She was pregnant, on her way to deliver their child. An eighteen wheeler ran the red, and Martin lost everything he had, again."  
Maureen looks into Alex's stunned face, "You're in pain, I know that, but if I wasn't here I'm not sure Martin wouldn't have killed himself because of your little comment. I'm going to email you my available times, we'll set up a few sessions and decide where to go from there, okay?"  
Alex nods, "Yeah, that's fine."  
"Now, I have to go make sure Martin doesn't decide to kill himself tonight," Maureen says, standing up.  
Alex stands up to, and offers his hand, "Thank you. And I'm sorry for Martin's loss."  
Maureen nods, "I'm sorry about Lindsay. I look forward to talking to you some more."  
***  
Maureen opens the door to her office, more confident with Martin now that everyone else is gone. She turns on the lamp on her desk, wanting a little more light now that the sun is completely gone.  
Martin has his head on the back of the couch and his eyes are closed tightly. Maureen sits next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder to try to wake him up.  
"Martin," she says, gently shaking his shoulder.  
He flinched when her catches her wrist, "Miranda," he whispers.  
Martin's eyes shoot open when Maureen tries to pull her hand away.  
"Doc," he says, sitting up quickly, "Where is everyone?"  
Maureen sits down next to him, "They all left. It's almost ten thirty."  
Maureen stands up to get her phone, she wants to get some more information on what happened to Martin and Lindsay at that warehouse.  
Maureen is walking back towards Martin when he tries to stand up. Martin's head starts to spin and little flashes of light slowly start to crowd his vision. He is drunk and concussed, not a good combination. Thankfully Maureen sees him falling and is barely able to set him back down on the couch.  
"You're okay," she whispers, holding him tightly, "You're okay." They both know it's not really true, and Martin is too far gone to really register anything.  
"You can sleep here tonight, and we'll figure things out tomorrow," Maureen says, helping him lie down. She just wants to take his pain away, but it's not going to be easy.  
"Just sleep," she whispers, her lips close to his. She can smell the alcohol on his breath, and for the thousandth time that day she wishes he wasn't so broken. Maureen knows she can help him, and she's determined to do just that.


End file.
